Length: 12 km (7.5 miles); see † below for a longer walk. Toughness: 1/10
10:28 Cambridge North train from Liverpool Street (Tottenham Hale 10:41), arriving Cheshunt (in TfL Zone 8) at 10:48. You can use Oyster PAYG or contactless, but note that a Freedom Pass is only valid to Cheshunt on the half-hourly London Overground services via Seven Sisters (arriving at xx:26 & xx:56).
There are fast trains back to Liverpool Street at xx:20 & xx:51 and slower ones to Stratford at xx:29 & xx:59, plus the Overgrounds at xx:00 & xx:30.
This walk combines the extensive wetland landscape of River Lee Country Park with a short excursion into the town of Waltham Abbey for a circuit of the Abbey Gardens and a peek into its fine Norman church. The town's pubs didn't all survive the pandemic so there's currently no clear recommendation for lunch, but the walk document suggests trying the Welsh Harp in Market Square, next to the church grounds.
On the return route it's worth popping into the Brew Street Kitchen and Bar in the Lee Valley White Water Centre, either for some mid-afternoon refreshment or simply to watch the spectacle. Much of the walk is along surfaced paths, but be prepared for a few muddy stretches along the way.
You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.311.a page.
† For a longer walk of 17½ km (10.9 miles) you could do the full Main Walk, ie. continue past Cheshunt to return from the next station on the line. Broxbourne has four trains an hour back (not the Overgrounds), departing four minutes before the times at Cheshunt. See the walk document for more details.
1 comment:
On a day of w=incessant-drizzle only three alighted from a slightly delayed Greater Anglia train, but we soon encountered one more who'd come on the Overground and had set off thinking she needed to catch up. News came of a fifth who'd mis-remembered the train time and was starting nearly an hour late, but the judicious use of a well-designed short cut near the start meant that we were soon a group of n=5 bedraggled walkers in the Lee Valley Country Park.
A pleasant break at the bird hide overlooking Seventy Acres Lake was enlivened by a flash of orange and blue as a kingfisher darted past. Apart from that the birds seemed as enthused about the weather as we were, and as the rain was getting heavier we took refuge in the café at the White Water Centre for a lunch of sausage rolls and soup. Fortunately the rain was starting to ease off as we continued into Waltham Abbey to admire its impressive church.
If the diligent Mr Tiger had been with us there would have been no question of skipping the planned investigation into the town's pubs, but this will have to wait for another day. As some of us had events to get back to we just did an abbreviated circuit around the Abbey Gardens and marched briskly back to Cheshunt, where a patch of blue sky appeared as our train arrived. However, no-one was tempted into doing the extra leg to Broxbourne.
This walk has acquired the tag of “a good winter walk” as much of it is on firm paths with no mud, but I think we'd all like the chance to experience it on a brighter day.
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